India has unveiled the ‘Mission for Advancement in High-Impact Areas (MAHA)-Medical Technology’, a landmark initiative led by the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The mission seeks to strengthen the country’s medical technology ecosystem by fostering innovation, reducing dependence on expensive imports, and ensuring equitable access to affordable, high-quality healthcare technologies.
The MAHA-MedTech mission will provide milestone-based funding ranging from Rs 5 crore to Rs 25 crore per project, with the potential to reach Rs 50 crore in exceptional cases. The funding is open to a diverse group of participants — including academic and research institutions, hospitals, startups, MSMEs, and MedTech industry players, as well as collaborative consortia formed between them.
The programme outlines clear objectives:
To generate public health value through enabling technologies that address priority disease areas and improve quality of care.
To enhance affordability and accessibility by supporting cost-effective innovations.
To build self-reliance and competitiveness through domestic MedTech development, manufacturing, and stronger industry-academia partnerships.
The mission’s scope spans a wide spectrum of medical-device and in-vitro-diagnostic innovations, including equipment, sub-components, implants, assistive and surgical devices, consumables, software-driven solutions, and cutting-edge technologies such as AI/ML-based platforms, robotics, advanced imaging, minimally invasive interventions, and point-of-care molecular diagnostics.
Priority will be given to projects aligned with national health challenges, particularly tuberculosis, cancer, neonatal health, and primary healthcare. In addition to funding, the mission will offer a comprehensive support ecosystem through initiatives such as Patent Mitra (for intellectual property protection and technology transfer), MedTech Mitra (for regulatory facilitation and clearances), a Clinical Trial Network (for validation and evidence generation), and mentorship from industry experts.
The application process involves two stages. Concept notes will be accepted through the ANRF portal from 15 September to 7 November 2025, followed by an invitation for shortlisted applicants in December 2025 to submit detailed proposals for evaluation.
Through MAHA-MedTech, India aims to build a robust, self-sustaining MedTech innovation and manufacturing ecosystem, strengthen healthcare infrastructure, and deliver affordable, scalable technological solutions that advance the nation’s health security and industry capacity.